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Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Ophelia Update- Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Ophelia is still a Strong Tropical Storm yet nearing Hurricane strength as it moves closer to the Carolina Coasts...As of 5:00 PM EDT, Tropical Storm Ophelia had sustained winds near 70 MPH with higher gust… Ophelia is just below Hurricane intensity and some slow strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours… For up to date ADVISORIES & WARNINGS from NOAA click here: National Hurricane Center(Click above photo or HERE for Hurricane Visible Loop)>>>UPDATE:5:30 PM EDTDURING THE PAST HALF-HOUR... FLIGHT-LEVEL WIND DATA ALONG WITH STEPPED-FREQUENCY MICROWAVE RADIOMETER SURFACE WIND DATA FROM A NOAA RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INVESTIGATING TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA INDICATE A SMALL AREA OF SURFACE WINDS OF AT LEAST 75 MPH WERE LOCATED NORTHWEST OF THE CENTER. BASED ON THIS INFORMATION... OPHELIA HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A 75-MPH HURRICANE AS OF 5 PM EDT...

National Guardsmen in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia are eyeing Tropical Storm Ophelia and preparing to respond, if needed, National Guard Bureau officials reported today.

More than 220 North Carolina National Guardsmen and 100 Virginia National Guardsmen are on active duty, prepared to provide critical support when Ophelia makes landfall, officials said. The South Carolina National Guard is monitoring the situation as well.

Forecasters predicted Ophelia would strengthen back into a hurricane today and reach the North Carolina coast Sept. 14 or 15. Ophelia's arrival comes as guardsmen from every state and territory, including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, are responding to Hurricane Katrina relief operations. Officials report that more than 45,000 guardsmen are supporting hurricane relief efforts in the Gulf Coast region.

And at the same time, an estimated 75,000 National Guard members are deployed to some 40 countries around the world, including Iraq, where they make up almost one-half the U. S. force, National Guard Bureau officials noted.

Despite its far-reaching responsibilities and missions, Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, insisted today that National Guard deployments to Iraq "did not slow the Guard's response to Hurricane Katrina" and that the Guard stands ready to respond to Hurricane Ophelia and other natural disasters, if needed.

Under a plan he instituted when taking over the National Guard Bureau's reins, Blum initiated a policy to ensure every state has at least 50 percent of its Guard assets available to support state missions. Louisiana has 65 percent of its troops available for state missions; Mississippi, 55 percent; Alabama, 78 percent; and Florida, 71 percent, Guard officials said.

"The fact that National Guard units were deployed to Iraq at the time of Katrina did not lessen the Guard's ability to respond," Blum said today.

National Guard forces "were in the water and on the streets throughout the affected areas rescuing people within four hours of Katrina's passing," Blum said. By Aug. 31, just two days after Katrina made landfall, more than 11,000 guardsmen were involved in rescue operations when the governors asked for more troops, he said.

In a typical Minuteman response, "the National Guard amassed 30,000 more troops in 96 hours," the general said, and by Sept. 2, more than 6,500 Guardsmen were serving in New Orleans alone.

National Guard troops have provided vital security support to state and local law enforcement authorities in the hurricane-affected, and are currently conducting security operations at critical oil-refining facilities in Louisiana, officials said. Guardsmen also continue to provide security for utility-company workers while they restore power and much-needed services throughout the region.

The National Guard's response to Katrina demonstrates its capability of conducting operations across the full spectrum of homeland defense in depth, Guard officials said today. They expressed particular praise for the Guard members from the Gulf states, many who are supporting Katrina relief efforts despite experiencing hurricane-related losses themselves.

On returning from the Gulf Coast Sept. 3 to see citizen-soldiers and -airmen at work, Blum declared the National Guard's role in Hurricane Katrina response operations "a great success story.” During a previous American Forces Press Service, he called the Guard response "probably the best demonstration yet" that the Guard can continue to respond to stateside crises while supporting a federal, overseas mission.

The general made his assessment during what National Guard Bureau officials are calling the largest and most comprehensive National Guard response to a natural disaster in recent history. Previously, the largest had been for 1989 the Lomo Prieta earthquake that rocked San Francisco, during which 32,000 California guardsmen were mobilized, officials said today.

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About Me

My pen name is AubreyJ... I’m 60 years young and I live in Shreveport, LA. I've been married only once and that is to the same lovely lady named Amy. (It’s hard to believe that after all these years she still claims me as hers!) Have one Daughter named Michelle and two wonderful Grandsons named David, (18) and Chase, (13). I spent most of my adult life as a Manager in the Sales and Service profession. Today I am semi-retired and spend most of my time searching for news stories and Blogging on the ones that I find news worthy. I’m a... just right of the middle... Republican, who’s 1000% Pro Victory on the War on Terror. I’m a strong supporter of the Troops and my Political Party... Even though I find myself in some disagreement, yet MAJOR disappointment with where the leaders of my Party have taken us over these last so many years. Sadly -- I still cannot find very much of anything that I agree with the Dems on these days... GOD BLESS THE TROOPS... their families and this great country of ours.
AubreyJ.........